UK261 Duty of Care Meals and Hotels

UK261 duty of care triggers at different delay thresholds by distance (Article 9 of the retained EU261 regulation, same as pre-Brexit):

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  Short haul (up to 1,500 km): 2 hours of delay.

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  Medium haul (1,500 to 3,500 km): 3 hours.

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  Long haul (over 3,500 km): 4 hours.

Duty of care applies even in extraordinary circumstances. Unlike cash compensation, which is blocked by extraordinary circumstances, duty of care (meals, hotels, rebooking) always applies regardless of cause.

Duty of care includes:

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  Meals and refreshments reasonable for the waiting time.

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  Hotel accommodation when overnight stay is required.

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  Transport between the airport and hotel.

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  Two telephone calls, emails, faxes, or similar communication.

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  No cap on reasonable amount set by law, though airlines apply their own caps.

Airlines typically offer vouchers for set amounts:

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  British Airways meal voucher: £10 to £15.

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  easyJet meal voucher: £6 to £12.

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  Ryanair meal voucher: £6 to £10 (less generous than peers).

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  Jet2 meal voucher: £8 to £15.

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  Virgin Atlantic meal voucher: £12 to £20.

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  Typical hotel cap: £80 to £150 per passenger per night (airline-contracted property preferred).

Airline voucher caps are often below the actual cost at airport restaurants. You can buy your own and submit receipts for reimbursement if the airline-provided amount is insufficient.

If the airline refuses duty of care or provides insufficient assistance, you can purchase reasonable alternatives and claim reimbursement:

1. 1

   Buy reasonable meals: at airport restaurants or fast-food outlets.

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   Book a reasonable hotel: at airport-adjacent properties rated 3+ stars.

3. 3

   Save all receipts: detailed, showing date and time.

4. 4

   Submit claim within 2 weeks: to airline for reimbursement.

5. 5

   Escalate to UK CAA if refused: at passengers.complaints@caa.co.uk.

"Reasonable" is the operative word. £20 for dinner at an airport is reasonable; £200 for a tasting menu is not. Hotel £150 is reasonable; £400 is not unless airport area prices are exceptional.

Duty of care includes rebooking on the next available flight or rerouting via partner airlines at no charge. If no flights are available for many hours, the airline must provide reasonable overnight accommodation. Ground transport between the airport and hotel is included in duty of care.

For seasonal application see UK261 passenger rights summer 2026 edition, and UK261 non-EU airlines departing the UK for non-EU carrier-specific duty of care implementation.

Unlike cash compensation, duty of care is NOT blocked by extraordinary circumstances. Severe weather, ATC strikes, and major industry events all still require the airline to provide meals and accommodation. This is the major functional difference between the two UK261 rights.

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  Severe weather: no cash compensation, but duty of care still applies.

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  Extraordinary security events: no cash compensation, duty of care applies.

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  Political strikes: same logic.

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  Airport closure: airline responsibility for duty of care on their passengers.

For primary regulatory texts and official guidance cited in this guide, see UK CAA Passenger Rights, Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as retained.

For companion guides see Gatwick UK261 cancellations rights. For the pillar see UK261 Passenger Rights.

TravelStacks handles duty of care reimbursement claims as part of UK261 claims at 25 percent of recovery. Start a claim in 30 seconds.